Finger Lakes Luau. This theme draws on the Hawaiian tradition of the Luau, a gathering or party that emphasizes the concepts of friendship, hospitality, music and culinary bounty.

With a focus on a Finger Lakes take on the traditional celebration we will embrace local foods and food sources, the natural beauty of the area and our local culture and community ties.

Above all a Luau is meant to be fun – perfect for the Ithaca Festival!

We would like to thank Ithaca College for waste management services and infrastructure support, Ithaca Foreign Car for the volvo raffle car, City of Ithaca for support services, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and all the Commons merchants for support and understanding, and Wegmans for hosting our pre-festival merchandise sales. Many thanks to all our wonderful sponsors and patrons who financially support the festival.

Come to our first ever themed masquerade ball on Friday, June 3, at the Farmers Market featuring the Sim Redmond Band. Costumes encouraged… feed two birds with one scone and wear your masquerade ball costume to the costume contest the day after on Saturday, June 4!

Check out the facebook event for more information and RSVP here!
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122953741118010

or here….

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147355685334480

Sorry about the two facebook events, they’re both the same event. You can also learn more about it on our masquerade ball page. So many places to find information!!

No idea where these categories came from? Here’s a rundown. In the play there are three main groups of people, the couples who are getting married, the working-class amateur actors who are putting on a play for entertainment at the wedding, and the fairies who cause general mayhem in the lives of humans work it all out in the end. The couples create our Lovers category; the play is set in ancient Athens so think togas and gold circlets. The actors, who are presenting the ‘play within a play’ are the Mechanicals which was a slang term for their general kind of professions, ex. weaver, tailor, bellows-mender. Feel free to pull costume ideas from any point in the play – their profession, their play character, or Bottom’s transformation into a mule! For the fairies be as creative as you wish… masks, body paint, jewels, wings.

Trophies for the best of the best in each category! The contest will take place Saturday, June 4 at 5pm at the Bernie Milton Pavilion. For more information about the costume contest and theme related activities click here.

Click here to enter the Button Trivia Contest!

Saturday, May 7, 2011, 1 – 4pm at GIAC
Featuring crafts, activities, performances,  food and a free Special Edition Kid’s Day Button!

Facebook event page

The crafts area will include a coloring contest, mural painting and t-shirt painting – paint and personalize an Ithaca Festival t-shirt. Activities will include sack races and a horse-style basketball tournament – sign up for a chance on the court at the t-shirt booth. The event will also feature performances by Punch and Judy Puppet Theater at 1:15pm and Hilby the Skinny German Juggling Boy at 2pm. The Ithaca Festival’s mission is to celebrate the artist in everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, amateur to professional.

Fun Features

• paint an Ithaca Festival t-shirt!
• mural painting
• coloring contest
• dizzy lizzy
• sack races
• basketball tournament
• balloon animals $1.00
• festival concessions
• live music
• music workshop!
• Punch and Judy Puppet Theater 1:15pm
• Hilby the Skinny Juggling German Boy 2pm

And, if that wasn’t enough, the 2011 program, with the full schedule, will be distributed all over town today. AND, our merchandise is now available at Wegmans for you to purchase. AND AND! We have this beautiful brand new website created by the amazing Tyler Finck. Check out our new merchandise and enjoy the new website!